The Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced a total of $2,650,000 in funding to help Agora de la danse, Tangente and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal relocate to the Wilder Building in the heart of Montréal's Quartier des spectacles.

This funding, provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, will be used for renovations and to acquire specialized equipment for this new space devoted to dance.

Quick Facts

The Department of Canadian Heritage will provide $650,000 to the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, $900,000 to Tangente and $1,100,000 to Agora de la danse to help these organizations get set up in the Wilder Building.

The Wilder Building, soon to become Wilder Espace Danse, is located at the corner of de Bleury and Sainte-Catherine streets in the heart of Montréal's Quartier des spectacles. The big move is scheduled for winter 2017.

The École de danse contemporaine de Montréal specializes in professional training for contemporary dance performers, while Tangente and Agora de la danse are dedicated to choreography and the promotion of performances. All three are leaders in their fields.

Having these major contemporary dance players in the Wilder Building will help reinforce Montreal's role as a leader in the world of arts and culture.

Quotes

"Our government is pleased to support the creators and performers of the world of dance, who will benefit from a work space that reflects what they are: innovative and inspiring. The Wilder Building in the Place des Festivals will offer them exceptional visibility."

-The Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"Artists will soon breathe life into these new state-of-the-art facilities, and make Wilder Espace Danse a hotbed of creation in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles."

-Florence Junca-Adenot, Chair of the Board of Directors, Agora de la danse

"This financial support from Canadian Heritage is making it possible to add the final touch to a key project to promote and showcase contemporary dance, to the delight of emerging artists, artisans and their audiences."

-Stéphane Labbé, Executive Director, Tangente

"This Canadian Heritage funding is a great boost for a key project that will do wonders for the vitality of the dance community. This support will also help sustain excellence in training future leaders in the performing arts."

-Daniel Denis, Chair of the Board of Directors, École de danse contemporaine de Montréal